But, at the time, she didn't comprehend the change Araujo was going through. [75][76][77] The law limited the use by criminal defendants of the "gay/trans panic defense" by allowing parties to instruct jurors not to let bias influence their decisions, including "bias against the victim" based on his or her "gender identity, or sexual orientation". Cazares and Nabors have long been out of custody. Seventeen states now have bans on the use of gay and trans panic defenses. They also deadlocked 7-5 in favor of convicting Magidson of first-degree murder. Transgender activists educated the family about what it means to be transgender and the proper use of pronouns. Any woman that knows you after this, it's not going to matter. He said that he didnt understand the depths of what he had done until his own daughter, who was gravely disabled, died in 2011, said Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Jill Klinge. Initial coverage by several news media outlets described the victim as a cross-dressing man. [67] Amber Rose was the name Guerrero had chosen before her child was born, in the event it was a girl. It was a beautiful conversation that Ill always cherish, Guerrero said. [61], Jos Merl was granted parole in 2016 with the support of Sylvia Guerrero. Guerrero considered Magidson and Jason Cazares the principal actors in the killing. Sylvia Guerrero had never heard the word transgender until four men murdered her daughter. The other two defendants pleaded guilty or no-contest to voluntary manslaughter. Araujo's family hears rumors about the confrontation and provide information to police, who then get a friend of Nabors to wear a wire from which they record Nabors talking about the murder. Magidson testified that Nabors admitted he had strangled Araujo. Socially Sad and Mentally Arrogant: Boys Locker Room, The AFL-CIO must end union representation of law enforcement. Gwen Araujo was a 17-year-old transgender teenager who lived in Newark, Calif. with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero. Magidson, 24, of Fremont and Jason Cazares and Jose Merel, both 24 and from Newark, are being tried on murder and hate-crime charges and could face life in prison if convicted. The younger brother of one of three men accused of killing a Newark transgender teen testified Thursday that he had tried to rescue Gwen Araujo but had been stopped by one of the men and the. Traumatized by her daughters murder in the East Bay city of Newark, the ensuing trials and an onslaught of invasive media attention, Guerrero has had a hard time finding a job. Bamby Salcedo, who went on to establish The TransLatin@ Coalition in Los Angeles, said she was motivated to accept her sexual identity and fight for transgender rights after learning of Araujo's death. At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. "[54], During the closing statements of the second trial, Cazares' defense lawyer Tony Serra argued that the three defendants were "ordinary human beings" who were guilty, at most, of manslaughter for their role in the death in a "classic state of heat and passion". Justice for Araujo was delayed. The fund's purpose was to support school-based programs in the nine-county Bay Area that promote understanding of transgender people and issues through annual grants. Ciara-Kiona Purvis September 11, 2022 Interpersonal Communication A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo story is based on a true story. | Olivia Cruz Mayeda/The Standard, By clicking Subscribe you confirm you have read and agree to our. In high school, Gwen would regularly ask Guerrero to give her friends advice on their relationships and drama at school. She lives in this prison in her own mind.". Questions, comments or concerns about this article may be sent to [emailprotected]. [33], Two days after Araujo was reported missing, a friend of Jaron Nabors described him as appearing distraught. [19][42][43] During the formal entry of his plea, Judge Kenneth Burr warned Nabors that he could still be charged with murder if prosecutors found he was not "living up to your end of the bargain". She fought like a guy. Gwen Amber Rose Araujo was a teenager who lived in Newark, California. This is the narrative that has persisted since shortly after Gwen's murder, but are there reasons to believe that this version of events isn't quite true? At the same time, Gwen's mother suffered from PTSD from the trial. This is where I sleep now, she said, pointing to the bare floor of her sons living room. Ive always loved San Francisco, Guerrero said. She says she is excited to return to actively working on the cause. Jason Cazares struck a deal with prosecutors to avoid a third trial and accepted a six-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. Gwens mother is one of the victims that transphobic violence leaves behind. An estimated 3,000 marched from Dolores Park to Civic Center where a rally was held. When trans people are painted in negative, stigmatized portrayals by politicians and so-called legal experts as has happened with ongoing bathroom policy debates the trans community gets marked for ridicule and violence, she said. I have a family. Turn it off, turn it off, turn it off a male is repeating.. Why Are We Indifferent to Male Rape Victims. The jury finds Michael Magidson and Jos Merl guilty of second-degree murder. Nabors later testified that Jos Merl said that night, "I swear, if it's a f man, I'm gonna kill him. With content streaming every single day, readers can turn to The Crime Center to fill their true crime needs. Two of the men, Michael Magidson and Jose Merel were convicted of 2nd degree murder and face sentences of 15 years to life. Sylvia honors Gwen, and transgender victims of hate crimes everywhere, by speaking out. I think it was toxic anyway, keeping all those emotions in. Guerrero grew up with zero knowledge of gender outside the binary. The law, signed by Gov. The messages offer a glimpse into the government crackdown that spurred a UN probe into human rights abuses. Michael Magidson and Jos Merl were sentenced to 15 years to life for killing Gwen Araujo. Cherished brother to Pearl and Jesus Serrano of CA, Rachel Araujo of Bakersfield, Brandon Guerrero-Bacot of Newark and Michael West of. Police and the family referred to Araujo by her birth name, Eddie, a practice now discouraged, called deadnaming. That's not a world in which I want to live or most people want to live in. [9], On the first anniversary of the murder, Horizons Foundation created the Gwen Araujo Memorial Fund for Transgender Education. Guerrero has survived in part from a GoFundMe page that raises donations on her behalf. Just let her go. Jaron Nabors was sentenced to 11 years in prison. [15], During the February 2003 indictment proceedings, Nabors gave a detailed account of the murder and burial. [8] Police did not initially take the missing persons case seriously partly because she was transgender,[9] and she was known to stay away from home overnight. Magidson, however, has reportedly never shown remorse and has been denied parole twice since his sentencing. Alameda County Sheriff's Office dispatched four crime scene investigators and two detectives to recover the body from the grave site. [13][14] She claimed to be menstruating and during sex would push her partners' hands away from her genitalia to prevent them from discovering that she had a penis. We have a long way to go before a trans person can be free to live their lives, to live out their dreams and goals like they deserve.. Araujo's funeral is held at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Newark. LGBTQ+ resources are available: abc7news.com/TakeAction. [6] Her parents divorced when she was 10 months old. [25][26] The last words Merl heard Araujo speak were "I told you I was sorry. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Charges against Paul Merel were dropped the following day. Gwen Amber Rose Araujo (February 24, 1985 - October 4, 2002) [1] was an American trans teenager who was murdered in Newark, California at the age of 17. [34] Confronted with the recording, Nabors agreed to lead authorities to the body[30] on October 15. At another point, he consoled his brother, Jose Merel, who was crying. Feb. 24, 1985At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. "[59], Michael Magidson and Jos Merl were sentenced in January to 15 years to life in prison, for second-degree murder. Also at the gathering were Paul's girlfriend, Nicole Brown, and friends Jason Cazares, 22, and Jaron Nabors, 19. Stuff like that. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act. The jury deadlocked 7-5 in favor of convicting Magidson on a first-degree murder charge. After she left, Nabors asked the other three "Could this be a dude?" This is the life and death story of 17-year-old Gwen Araujo. Writing is not a hobby, but a passion. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Araujo usually checked in with her mother, so when she did not come home the day after the party, her mother called the police on October 5 to report her missing. At the sentencing of the suspects, Araujo's mother, Sylvia Guerrero, said that the murder and court process (which lasted three years) had taken an emotional toll on her and that it had affected her relationship with her children. She was fearless, she was angry. As they were burying her, the men continued to disparage her. The four who were initially arrested and accused of the murder were Magidson (age 22); Nabors (19), Jos Merl (22), and Paul Merl. When Gwen was murdered that night, it was the beginning of a life sentence for me and my family, Guerrero said. [36], After he was arrested, Nabors wrote a letter to a girlfriend in which he stated the defendants had discussed a "Soprano-type plan" to "kill the b and get rid of her body". California Gov. The jury deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquitting Cazares and Merel of first-degree murder. Sylvia Guerrero is seen in San Francisco on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. Guerrero looked after her 10 younger siblings while her parents worked, getting them ready for school and packing their lunches. In 2010, then-Gov. They jury deadlocked once again on Cazares, but this time 9-3 in favor of a conviction. Loves to Read. If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis and need to connect with a qualified LGBTQ+ crisis responder. She was loving, vibrant, and beautiful. Araujo's murder was compared to the brutal death of Matthew Shepard four years earlier in Laramie, Wyoming. Cherished brother to Pearl and Jesus Serrano of C While Merl expressed deep sorrow and regret to Araujo's family, Magidson was angry about his verdict and expressed "no remorse" for his role in murdering Araujo, according to presiding Judge Harry Sheppard. "Mike and Jaron were in front of the door," Merel testified in a Hayward courtroom. Watch the ABC7 Originals documentary, "Being Gwen: A Life and Death Story," streaming now in the video player above and on the ABC Owned Television Stations' connected TV Apps: ABC7 Bay Area, ABC30 Central California, ABC7 Los Angeles, ABC7 New York, ABC7 Chicago, 6abc Philadelphia, ABC13 Houston, and ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. "[15] Brown testified that she tried to comfort Merl after the discovery, saying "It's not your fault. Edward "Gwen" Araujo, Jr. of Newark entered into rest Thursday, October 3, 2002. When asked how she forced them, Nabors answered, "Through deception. Then while Araujo was in the bathroom, Brown went inside, grabbed her crotch, and reportedly shouted to the group, "It's a man.". The jury is unable to reach a guilty verdict and the judge declares mistrial. [34], One of the jurors wrote a newspaper article after the mistrial; in it, he credited Cazares's defense attorney, Tony Serra, with introducing enough reasonable doubt about the veracity of the prosecution's witnesses, including both Brown (who had admitted to consuming more than a dozen beers that night) and Nabors (who was characterized as a liar and "chameleon", prone to exaggeration and eager to please in every social situation). Her mother found it to be odd but did not put much thought into it. Many have since forgotten Gwen. She was cremated, and her mother Sylvia Guerrero retained the urn with her ashes. What Araujo did not know was that these four had already suspected that she was trans, and . Jerry Brown. Because a city this offbeat deserves a newsletter with some The case became a rallying cry for transgender rights. Over the course of the trial, defense attorney Tony Serra, who represented Jason Cazares, attacked the credibility of Jaron Nabors, whom he accused of being the primary aggressor and blaming his friends for the murder. The law requires that juries must be informed that they are forbidden from making decisions based on any victim's gender or sexual orientation. This is the life and death story of 17-year-old Gwen Araujo. Now its a huge trans event that kicks off the San Francisco Pride weekend. Sunseri said. This is a carousel. Below, you'll find a timeline of how the life and death of Gwen unfolded. In 2005, California Gov. Over the course of the teens life, Guerrero learned how to better support her daughter in a transphobic world. At first, she didn't know how to talk about it. Araujo had been hogtied, bludgeoned, strangled to death, and then transported to the remote location to be buried beneath rocks in a shallow grave, The Mercury News reported. [15][16], Nicole Brown, who was dating Paul Merl (Jos's older brother) and was acquainted with Araujo, said that she and Araujo had engaged in a physical fight after Brown challenged Araujo to strip for the men. Beto Lopez, Gwens childhood friend, remembered sneaking out of the house in their hometown of Newark to go to San Francisco Pride with Gwen in 2000. Nabors was initially charged with murder, too, but he agreed to testify against his friends in exchange for an 11-year sentence. Gwen Araujo was a 17-year-old transgender teenager who lived in Newark, Calif. with her mother, Sylvia Guerrero. I can never make up for the time we lost as Ive struggled to deal with the grief that began that night.. [22], When Nabors and Cazares returned, Araujo was still conscious, bleeding from her head wound and sitting on the couch. She frequently encounters psychological triggers that derail her days. She says she receives emails from all over the world. Over the next few hours, Araujo was punched and beaten as she tried repeatedly to escape the house. Eddie then began transitioning as a woman and called herself Gwen, after her favorite singer Gwen Stefani.According to court testimony, Araujo, whom the men knew . Jerry Brown, states that fear or surprise of a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity may not be used a legal defense to justify an assault. Loving son to Sylvia Guerrero of Newark and Edward Araujo of Brawley. Nobody reported the murder of Gwen Araujo. Nabors said Cazares and Magidson had first brought Araujo, whom the group knew as an attractive 19-year-old named "Lida," to the Merel home in late August or early September 2002. Dufty was elected as a supervisor in San Francisco a few months after Gwens murder and witnessed the community organizing that followed. In at least one of the trials, a "trans panic defense"an extension of the gay panic defensewas employed. On the night of Oct. 3, 2002, Araujo attended a party at a house rented by Jos and Paul Merl. Emma Rodrigues, Gwen Araujo's aunt, Statement at sentencing hearing, January 27, 2006[53], The three defendants testified in this trialand blamed each other as well as Nabors. The second trial began on May 31, 2005. Nabors and Cazares urged the others to "knock the b out", according to Nabors's testimony. Merl and Magidson were sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years. [17], In the early morning hours of October 4, Magidson asked Araujo to reveal her sex or allow him to touch her genitals, which she refused. [7] Rumors reached her family that a girl who had been outed as transgender at a party had been killed and buried in Tahoe,[7] and her aunt called the police on October 9 to pass on the story. [60] According to Lamiero, Cazares was willing to plead guilty to being an accessory after the fact, but that deal was rejected because the sentence was just three years and admitted no culpability in the murder. Even though it took time to adjust to the change, soon they started to see and accept Araujo as a woman. When youre in a big family, youre either going to want a bunch of kids or youre not going to want any, she said. San Mateo County could soon expand direct cash payments to some of its poorest residents, Pittsburg could soon see road and school crosswalk improvements, Opinion: What I learned about myself at the Richard Nixon Library, USC uses defense to upset No. The younger brother of one of three men accused of killing a Newark transgender teen testified Thursday that he had tried to rescue Gwen Araujo but had been stopped by one of the men and the prosecution's star witness, who has accepted a plea deal for his role in the death. Through this fund, Sylvia Guerrero and her family spoke in middle and high schools about transgender awareness and understanding. She lost her job and suffers from post-traumatic stress. At age 14, Araujo sat down with her mom for a heart-to-heart talk. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! [11] The night they met Araujo, she flirted with all four men and they smoked marijuana together. In life, Gwen dreamed of being a part of San Franciscos transgender community and its history. [8][13] According to Merl, Magidson said he was not sure she was dead until they struck her with a shovel. As she struggles to heal and support herself, Guerrero has also found a deep appreciation for the impact of Gwens life. Her PTSD and memory problems leave her unable to return to her former career and force her to scrape by with help fromseveral crowdfunding campaigns, including a recent GoFundMe page. Im kind of worried Ill get pulled over, she said, bent over and laughing, but I roll deep with angels.. Momsespecially momsif they knew the factsyou'd be surprised. As a young boy, Eddie Araujo always felt like he was different in a way. "It is for this witness' safety," Sheppard said, during a meeting with journalists in his office. Guerrero has been unable to return to work and now shuffles her belongings from relatives' houses using a borrowed car from her friend. If they actually did know, then why did they kill her? Nabors takes police to the site where they buried Araujo's body. But her murder is still important today. Jaron Nabors pleads guilty to voluntary manslaughter and agrees to testify against his three friends in exchange for an 11 year prison term. At least 48 trans people were killed in 2021, making it the deadliest year for transgender people in the United States, where the majority of victims are Black and Latinx. Four men brutally murdered her. In announcing the bill's introduction they cited the murder of Araujo and the 2008 murder of gay California teen Larry King. Jerry Brown. Gwen Araujo was a transgender teenager from the SF Bay Area who was killed 20 years ago by men who claimed they were deceived by her sexual identity. 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Emmanuel Merel said it was Michael Magidson and Jaron Nabors -- who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter -- who had physically prevented him from pushing Araujo outside to safety. Jury selection begins for the second trial. [68] By 2005, Guerrero had spoken to more than 20 schools. [22][25][27] Emmanuel Merl later testified he walked to a convenience store to buy gum, then went to a friend's house to spend the night. She lost her job as a legal assistant and ended up losing her home. At one point, he said, he saw Magidson choking Araujo and pulled Magidson's arm off the victim. Know Your City! [58], Lamiero had undermined criminal intent by commenting, "Gwen being transgender was not a provocative act. [11] Jos Merl testified he was cleaning Araujo's blood out of the carpets and couch as Magidson was binding her ankles, prior to her being taken to the garage. One of those friends was Daisy Bernal, whom Guerrero took in for three years when she was 16. "[20] Brown said the four men were out at a club together and did not return to the house until after midnight. 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